Concept
Vedanā
Overview
Vedanā (Pāli and Sanskrit: वेदना) is an ancient term traditionally translated as either "feeling" or "sensation." In general, vedanā refers to the pleasant, unpleasant and neutral sensations that occur when our internal sense organs come into contact with external sense objects and the associated consciousness. Vedanā is identified as valence or "hedonic tone" in psychology.
Vedanā is identified within the Buddhist teaching as follows:
One of the seven universal mental factors in the Theravāda Abhidharma.
One of the five universal mental factors in the Mahāyāna Abhidharma.
One of the twelve links of dependent origination (in both Theravāda and Mahāyāna traditions).
One of the five skandas (in both Theravāda and Mahāyāna traditions).
One of the objects of focus within the four foundations of mindfulness practice.
In the context of the twelve links, craving for and attachment to vedanā leads to suffering; reciprocally, concentrated awareness and clear comprehension of vedanā can lead to Enlightenment and the extinction of the causes of suffering.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Possible passages
Found by search and not yet checked by a person; they may only mention the idea in passing.
We have not, however, as many different senses as there are nerves. We can distinguish but seven principal classes of nerves, of which two belong to the internal, and the other five to the external senses. The nerves which extend to the stomach, the oesophagus, the fauces, and the other internal parts that are subservient to our natural wants, constitute one of our internal senses. This is called the natural…
René Descartes, Selections from the Principles of Philosophy
States what Vedanā is.
This perception, they say, is an _act_ of the mind, proceeding from its own spontaneous activity; while in a sensation the mind is passive, being merely acted upon by the outward object. And according to some metaphysicians, it is by an act of the mind, similar to perception, except in not being preceded by any sensation, that the existence of God, the soul, and other hyper-physical objects is recognised. These acts…
John Stuart Mill, A System of Logic
States what Vedanā is.
The negative effect on feeling (unpleasantness) is pathological, like every influence on feeling and like every feeling generally. But as an effect of the consciousness of the moral law, and consequently in relation to a supersensible cause, namely, the subject of pure practical reason which is the supreme lawgiver, this feeling of a rational being affected by inclinations is called humiliation (intellectual…
Immanuel Kant, The Critique of Practical Reason
States what Vedanā is.
Philosophers who discussed Vedanā
Related ideas
- Feeling
- Buddhist meditation
- Visuddhimagga
- Majjhima Nikāya
- Vijñāna
- Chögyam Trungpa
- Nirvana
- Aṅguttara Nikāya
- Sanskrit
- Pali Canon
- Impermanence
- Bhikkhu Bodhi
- The Buddha
- Enlightenment in Buddhism
- Impermanence (Buddhism)
- Taṇhā
- Indriya
- Duḥkha
Place in the tradition
Part of Mind.